vampirenerd wrote:Well...obviously the way to get to heaven is to be saved (however your religion believes this is accomplished), if you don't get saved you go to hell...some religions believe that even if you repent and are saved if you do not live your life perfectly then you need to "pay for your sins" before you can go on to heaven. Purgatory is where you go to pay for those sins

If you live as you are meant to live and do so joyfully, gratefully, willingly -- i.e. you live as a saint -- at death, you go directly to God. If you are less than a saint -- if you see and believe and act with a mix of truth and delusion -- you have to spend a certain amount of time in Purgatory. You are not the person God intended you to be -- not in your behavior and not in your thinking and speaking. Yet, in Purgatory you can begin to see more clearly and vividly the harm you have caused in full or partial consciousness. So you are ready and willing and eager to atone for what you did -- for however long it takes until it is "enough." [satis-facere] This is Purgatory on the literal level.

hope that helps

Well said. I don't think I could have explained it any better. When I was younger they explained it to me as purgatory is like hell, but purgatory isn't permanent. It's only for a while if you weren't perfect, but you weren't bad enough to go to hell. (Yes I was raised and still am Catholic. )

Thanks for clearing that up. Now when I talk to Catholic friends and family I won't seem so much like an idiot So if this is a pretty much just Catholic belief, maybe Edward was raised Catholic. It would make sense, considering I doubt he would have been as ignorant as me in not knowing what the difference between hell and purgatory was.

Team Edward&Esme~SBS Assistant 2 the Cobosses~APPCSt Cullens Head of Neurology~TetrarchNeed something to read? Tryhttp://www.jennacooper.com

But on the other hand, Edward was well-educated in his hundred-odd years, and no doubt he knew what purgatory was despite his former religion, and he could have used the term whether he believed in it or not. So, I guess no one knows for sure except for Stephenie, but since I saw similarities with some of his actions/words, and I personally like to think of him as having been Catholic (lol ), then unless Stephenie says specifically otherwise, or someone else convinces me really well, in my head Edward will be Catholic. Just one of those things that my mind fills in with what it likes if there's no definite information that goes there. Haha.

My opinion on Cullen beliefs:Carlisle-Anglican (says so in twilight)Esme-Anglican (Probably follows whatever Carlisle believes)Edward-Some sect of Christianity (there does not appear to be any specifics on what sect)Emmett-I don't think he has religion (no clues throughout the series)Rosalie-Narccisist (ha! does not pay attention to anything but herself)Alice-Buddhist (she just seems to be into that kind of peaceful, happy religion)Jasper-Agnostic (does not seem sure of his beliefs and or whether there is a god or not)

Cocoa wrote:What religion or belief system do each of the Cullens believe in? What religion were they in mortality and how did that effect their beliefs in immortality?

I think Carlisle was a catholic, and Edward was Christian too.Emmett, I reckon followed Emmettism, and Rosalie didnt care much. I dunno why, but I always imagined Alice as like a zen religion kind of girl.

Carlisle believes in an afterlife, and Edward does subconsciously too.

this what i was thinkingi don't think jasper had a religion thoughhe's a very practical person

Carlisle: Well he was a form of Protestantism; Edward explains that he was an Anglican minister in the 1600's.

Edward: Some kind of Christianity; probably Catholicism seeing in how much he believes in heaven, hell and especially purgatory.

Jasper: Some form of Christianity; maybe a Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian seeing as those were the predominant faith groups during the mid nineteenth century. Probably raised but not practiced.

Alice: I picture Alice as a Pagan. Someone who's more in touch with the Earth. A belief that many gods control the seasons and crops and weather and such. (That also could've have contributed to her being commited, especially during the time period she lived in *ponders*)

Rosalie: Yeah... right. Atheist or a Nihilist (that's more of a philosophy though) maybe. Although this may not have occurred until after her transformation. Being an immortal vampire, incapable of having children or a normal life doesn't really strike a fancy with her. That could have spurred her into not believing in a god.

Emmett: Emmettism... ROFL aka HAKUNA MATATA. Agnosticism. Just a belief in some god. Or Determinism. Again more of a philosophy; belief that things just happen and not necessarily for any divine reason. Everything we do is determined by "an unbroken chain of prior occurrences"

Esme: I'm really having a hard time with her. Now, I think she's a little more independent than to just do whatever Carlisle does. But I can't think of a religion she would've followed in her mortal life. I could find historical evidence and make an educated guess, but those would all probably be some form of Christianity. Personally- I have no reasoning behind this, but I just always got the feeling that she was Jewish. I don't have any proof; that's just my impression. (a lot of people seem to leave Esme out of there considerations . Well, I say "yea for Esme" )

In the end I think the only Cullen's that actually practiced a religion would be Carlisle (obviously, he was minister), Edward, and maybe Esme. Although Edward only really dwelled on his potential lack of soul, not that the God he believed in (at least the God I think he believed in) would forgive the sins of anyone who was truly repentant. I got an inkling throughout the series that Edward might've been a bit repentant, anyone else?

What an interesting discussion! Lacuna Scion, I think your guesses on their individual religious beliefs and/or philosophies are right on the money. I picture Esme as a unitarian universalist. Or perhaps just a straight up humanist. Not sure if unitarian universalism was around during Esme's time, but her general demeanor strikes me as someone who would fit in well with that belief system.

You are in my blood like holy wineand you taste so bitter but you taste so sweetOh I could drink a case of you darlingAnd I would still be on my feet

I know she's not a Cullen, but I thought it was interesting how SM portrayed Angela Weber. We know she's the daughter of a minister, so I assume she's a Christian. And Edward in MS says she has a really kind mind. She's the only girl in Forks who really cares about Bella. And then contrast her with Carlisle's dad, who was an Anglican minister, but was judgmental and caused more problems than he solved. It's an interesting contrast between different types of Christians.I think it shows that just because you say you believe something, doesn't mean you're going to act that way. A lot of Christians do unChristian things.